Killed in a bar beating in the wee hours Thursday morning, Christopher Duckett of Greenville had plans to make military service his career when he entered the U.S. Marines, but those plans change after his tour of duty in Iraq, his mother said.

"He was so excited when he went into the Marines," Jackie Duckett said. Her son, 30, served for almost 6 years before he decided to leave. "He was going to make it a career."

Jackie Duckett said she last spoken to her son a few hours before he was slain.

"He came by (Wednesday), but we weren’t home," she said.

Warrants have been issued for two suspects in Dukett's death; one suspect surrended to police Thursday night.

Duckett said something, she wasn’t quite sure what, happened to her son while he was overseas.

"His tour of Iraq wasn’t very long," she said.

She said her son had a strong spirit, and even a stronger smile mixed with humor.

"He was a good child," his mother said from her home in Nicholtown.

Police said Christopher Duckett was badly beaten early Thursday by two men in a bar on Augusta Road.

A deputy coroner said he died at Greenville Memorial Hospital after the severe injuries; he suffered blows after being struck in the head and body with furniture from the bar.

Deputies released warrants identifying two suspects as: Marques Anthony Durant, 21, of 105 Henry Drive; and Robert James Moore, 30, of 13 Myron Lane. Both are accused of murder, according to warrants.

Deputies said that Durant surrendered at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and his being held at the Greenville County Detention Center.

A motive as to why there was an altercation between the suspects and Duckett has not been revealed.

Duckett went to Wade Hampton High, and worked at Michelin, she said.

He was separated from his wife, and daughter, his mother said. His father is Rev. Lewis Duckett; he also had an older brother, Corey, and a sister, Natalie, Jackie Duckett said.

She said her son had a key, and he kidded his family that he always had that key and it traveled around the world in his possession.

Funeral arrangements were being coordinated with Watkins-Garrett & Wood Mortuary, she said. Jackie Duckett said she thought the funeral would be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.